Being a book blogger is freakishly awesome. I’m just saying…it is. But like all awesome things (dragon riding for instance) there can be awkward downsides and problems (like riding said dragon one minute and then being barbecued human the next…such awkward moments). I have collected a handful of relatable book blogger problems that I’m sure most of us have encountered at some point. And if you haven’t, pfft, I want to be you when I grow up.
1. WHEN YOUR TBR IS SO OUT OF CONTROL, YOU GIVE UP CHOOSING AND MAKE A PILE AND STAND ON IT AND SHRIEK.
Because what else is there to do?!? There’s literally no hope of reading all the books you want to read in your lifetime, so shrieking is the only viable option to deal with this.
2. WHEN ALL THE BOOKS ARE PUBLISHED AT ONCE AND YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SHINY AND SHINIER.
I’m 99% sure publishers get together and say “Let’s hit ’em on the 12th of November. ALL THE BOOKS. THAT DATE. DO IT.” And then as the date rolls round, they sit in their offices eating book flavoured cakes and cackle as bookworms run around like headless chickens trying to buy all the books and probably going bankrupt because of it.
3. WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF SPACE IN YOUR HOUSE FOR MORE BOOKSHELVES.
So, logically, you quietly turf out family members and then repurpose their rooms into libraries for MORE SHELVES. This can’t go wrong.
4. WHEN YOU’RE STRUCK BY SEVERE SELF-DOUBT ABOUT YOUR REVIEWS.
Particularly when it’s a review for a publisher and ohhhh what if they don’t like your shrieking fangirling? Or what if they’re annoyed at you for ranting against an unlikeable book?! WHAT IF THEY NEVER SEND YOU A BOOK AGAIN?!??!
And what if your readers hates it too? Let’s…let’s just pause a moment here and wither away in self-doubt.
5. WHEN YOU DON’T GET A COVETED ARC AND HAVE TO CASUALLY MANAGE YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT BY BUILDING AN IGLOO OUT OF BOOKS AND RETREATING TO IT.
“ARC envy” gets quite a bad rap, and I agree…it’s not nice to make someone else feel uncomfortable that they got a book that you didn’t. Be nice. Don’t rant about envy. BUT! I think it’s okay to get disappointed sometimes!! Particularly when one doesn’t have a huge book buying budget and their library is at least 75 million years behind on new releases.
6. WHEN YOUR BLOG BREAKS AND IT’S INSTA-FREAK-OUT-MODE BECAUSE YOUR BLOG IS YOUR BABY.
THIS IS THE GREATEST TRAGEDY OF MY LIFE. Like when a widget breaks or code goes funky or just something goes wrong and I can’t fix it. Just ask my family. I go into mega panic mode and flap around the house sobbing about the apocalypse.
One of my biggest fears is LOSING my blog forever. All these posts deleted? All my art gone? All my minions left to wander about with no overlord? This tragedy is a nightmare and I hope it doesn’t ever happen.
7. WHEN YOU READ SO MUCH YOU BECOME AS PICKY AS AN ORGANIC PINEAPPLE.
Oh dear. Yet another low-starred book because you’ve consumed, like, a hundred this year and you’ve got an eyeball for quality now. I’m not ashamed of this problem, but it is inconvenient. Back in my childhood of five minutes ago (haha, kidding…several years ago…) I rated most books 4 stars! I was easy to please! But now…I’m well read and I can sense quality by sniffing a book and licking the binding. As you do.
8. BEING SO FLOODED WITH REVIEW REQUESTS THAT YOU PACK YOUR BAGS AND LEAVE FOR THE BAHAMAS INSTEAD OF CHECKING YOUR EMAIL.
THANK GOODNESS I AM BATMAN. Phewf. Because those book-review requests get a little wild sometimes. I get particularly mad when an author ignores my “no review request” sign and emails anyway. CAN YOU READ, DUDE? If they can’t read a simple sign, then I have exactly zlich faith in their writing skills. Not to mention politeness and respect…
Also just the ANYTHING requests. I’ve been asked to review a bed once. I was tempted to email back and ask for a sample bed in payment…
9. TRYING TO WORD IN A REVIEW WHEN THE WORDS AREN’T WORDING.
Some days are not word days. In fact, some days are so BEYOND word days that the only thing left to do is cake. It’s particularly awkward, though, if one needs to write a review on this day.
10. WHEN A BLOGGING SLUMP STRIKES YOU LIKE A LACHRYMOSE LEECH AND YOU’RE LEFT WHIMPERING ON THE FLOOR.
Blogging slumps are vicious monsters and not to be underestimated! AGH TO THEM. I often find they come around when I’m treating my blog too much like a business instead of fun. Also getting swamped with too many review-copies or others’ expectations or just having General Life Stress happening in the background…all these can lead to slump.
Okay, Slumpy, no one likes you. GO AWAY.
Although I’m 1001% sure that the good parts outweighs the bad when it comes to book blogging. But there comes a time in every book bloggers life when the need to shriek arises. And that’s okay! SHRIEK! We emotionally compromised book bloggers! HUZZAH.
BLOGGING SLUMPS! Those kill me. Especially when I haven’t scheduled any posts, so I have no choice but to write… And I’ve definitely gotten picker as I’ve matured as a reader. What I hate is when I can’t decide between a rating. Should I give it a half star or a full star? I’m rather indecisive… This post is as wonderful and distracting as shiny books are. Which also means I love them, because SHINY. XD
yESSSSS. Moral of the story = always have posts in reserve, right?!? 😛 Speaking of which, I’m at the end of all my backed-up post so I need get a wriggle on and write some new ones. hee. I have like a massive list of ideas though, so no slump here. HUZZAH. *ahem* Oh oh deciding ratings is exceptionally hard too!! I try not to use half stars because Goodreads doesn’t but WAHHHHH sometimes I need them so bad!!! I often get stuck deciding if a book is a 3 or a 4.
Ugh yes the self doubt man. It’s such a huge thing in the life of a book blogger. Specifically since I’m such a harsh reviewer. I really wish I wasn’t, but I just can’t help it. I can’t force myself to like something.
Number 6 is a beast. 😛
Number 7 is my life.
I wish I had the problems of number 8. lol
Oh 9, oh dear. It’s true. Words are tricky wee beasties. 😀
Uuggghhh I hate slumps of any kind because it’s so depressing and makes me feel like my whole life is worthless. Oh INFP life, when the feels are gargantuan.
Book problem #11 When all your ARCS are ebooks and you just want a real book to sniff. *weeps* And yes, I desperately wish that I could kick out one of our housemates (he’s an arsehole anyway) and move my shelves into his room. Sadly we don’t have the money to rent two rooms in this house. 🙁
At least we all get self-doubt, right?! SO WE CAN TAKE MILD COMFORT IN THAT. XD I wish I was a bit more easy going as a reviewer too. D: But I’m just not and I want to be honest, because I know people trust my recommendations, so I only want to squee about the best of the best, you know?!
*pats shoulder* I hear ya with the slumps. I’m an INTJ but I still faceplant when I don’t feel like blogging, because I spend such a LOT of time blogging it’s like losing an eyeball when I’m in a slump.
OMG, number 2! Haha! 😀 The struggle is real!!! Like, how do they even expect us to choose just a hundred books, when there are millions all releasing AT THE SAME DATE? #bookbloggerproblems
Number 3 also happens to me. I’m currently in a book buying ban (cue gasp), so I don’t have new books right now. But there are still a lot that I didn’t even bother removing from the box/bag/bubble wrap because I don’t have space anymore to put them in. They’ve been in a sad pile for months. 🙁
4 and 9 happen A LOT to me because WHAT ARE WORDS? And sometimes even when I managed to squeak my feelings into semi-coherent reviews, I’m still plagued with self-doubt that no one will get what I’m saying. Some people just don’t understand ASDKFHDKJFHKSJH. *nods*
I’m absolutely sure those publishers are cackling at their deviousness. *sighs long-sufferingly*
I have many sad piles that want homes. Actually I’ve utilised the top of my bookshelf so there are more books above then in right now. XD The piles are precariously high and a liiiittle bit of a worry. aHEM.
YOU STILL TALKING TO MEEE?! I TOLD YOU TO CLOSE YOUR EYES!! 😛
Okay, so I think everybody’s tbr list is eternally out of control and we are doomed! Even when ALL the books come out together (this pattern’s been increasing lately, don’t you agree?) I have to wait for a loooong time because MONEY PROBLEMS!! AARGH! Oh and I live in a small apartment with my family, I don’t have any more space left to keep my books, now they are piling up in my bed, pretty soon enough there will be no more space left for me to sleep.
Self doubt is something, gets me every single time but I try to remind myself that I’m blogging for ME, so I should make myself happy first! 😀 and ARC envy, yup which blogger doesn’t feel that? Still I have to say I’m pretty lucky to get 90% of the arcs I request but still physical arcs are a dream to me because I live in a far lost land all across the ocean where I will forever remain chained in the tower… oh wait, just went into Rapunzel mode, didn’t I? Never mind me!
WHO ARE YOU? I CAN’T REMEMBER. BECAUSE I BLOCKED YOUR LAST TRAUMATIC COMMENT FROM MY MIND.
HAHAHA I’m just kidding. I’m forgiving. *smushes pineapple in your hair just because* Ahem. AND YES. These last few months have been insane for all the highly anticipated books!! I can’t even decide where my attention needs to be. XD I’m trying to convince my family I need more shelves. XD
SO YOUR REAL NAME IS RAPUNZEL. I SEE HOW IT IS.
So overly dramatic smushy, you know now you’re speaking my language.
I used to be a fairly simple minded person, no wait, that’s not right. You know what I mean.
But lately I’ve been contemplating making a book fort and standing and shrieking too. My problem at the moment is time. I have none and feel like I’ve put myself in this little box because I’m blogging and interacting at these really odd hours and everyone else is snoring their heads off. And not being able to be around all that much, I kind of feel like I’m being left behind. *latches onto legs*
I don’t usually have ARC envy, as I get sent a lot of unsolicited copies myself and love to see others who perhaps can’t afford books receive review copies. I do get annoyed when I’m desperate for a book to be released and someone else receives a review copy only to scoff at it and won’t read it. I just don’t understand it. Why not offer it to someone who will read it and get them to pay the post. Isn’t it better to see a book being loved in the hands of someone who will enjoy it rather than just gathering dust?
I expect you to survey bloggers now and find out why this is so smushy. Don’t make out you don’t have that kind of pull, we all know that without you, the presses to print books wouldn’t even run. Now hop to it.
DON’T LET GO, KELLY. KEEP HOLDING OOOOON. *throws you a life boat made of cake*
I do get that. D: I’ve had to start blogging less because of time too. *sighs* I Swear the end of the year always accounts for a lot of craziness, but I also have this weird thing with prefer sanity to stress SO YEAH. I have been cutting back too. *sighs* At least the good thing about blogging is there’s usually someone online no matter the hour, right?!
Agh, yes, I do understand that. I get annoyed when people request things on Netgalley and use up all available eARCs and then…don’t read it and SAY they’re not going to read it. >_> Like what about the rest of us?!?
I do have powers. I know I do. I gotta talk to the publishers about their evil intentions when publishing everything on the same day too. *nods*
If you look back at my Goodreads history, I literally gave EVERYTHING 5 stars. Like… really!? I have no idea whether that was just because I loved everything at that age or because I didn’t want to give books low stars, haha. NOW I’M SO MUCH PICKIER. So. Much. It’s terrible. But there are so many books how am I supposed to choose which ones to read?!
The struggle is real.
I knoooow right?!?! And I think it’s kind of a natural thing to rate books higher when you haven’t read as much?! My sister and I were discussing a book and both pointing out a ton of flaws and I rated it 2-stars and she rated it…5. BUT SHE WAS AGREEING WITH ME ON ALL THIS STUFF SHE HATED ABOUT IT. Omg. So clearly it changes the more you read/blog. xD
Time (or lack of it) is mine – I’ve only managed to post twice this week because uni and NaNo and life 🙁
I mean, I never said I was going to post a certain number of times, but I still feel like twice is bad when I posted six times in the first nine days…
I admire you for even squeezing in blogging PLUS NaNo and life!! Whenever I write, I totally just pause blogging/life/everything. Only feed stays in the picture because let’s face it: food.
My library is not 75 million years behind on new releases but at least 100 million years behind. Only english books that I can find there are old Pinguin classics :/ *sigh* I would categorize this as problems of book bloggers from non-english speaking country… So once spend my monthly book budget, all is left is Edelweis and Netgaley or being sad camper if I am denied. I constantly dream of well stocked library with new releases in english!
Awww, you have it worse than me library-wise then. *pats shoulder* *feeds you book cakes* yeESSS I’m sure you have more book blogger problems than me! At least my library is sorta open to purchase requests. SO THAT IS GOOD. *whispers* I miiight’ve told Edelweiss I was American so I actually get approved for books. >_< Netgalley knows I'm Australia and denies me EVERYTHING OMG.
LOL, I told Edelweiss the same thing! We are sisters in crime 😉
EVIL FOR THE BOOKISH GREATER GOOD. *hi fives*
Oh random book requests. My favorites are the random blog tour emails. I responded to one like, “uhhh I never signed up for this.” And the response u received was ” oh sorry, we must have written the email address down incorrectly.”
….sure. 😒
hehe, YEAH. “Suuure you did.” 😉 XD I mean, I get that getting people to review can be hard sometimes, but I think it more ticks us off when they ignore our “nos”, right?!
Whaaahhh yes to all of these! But 5 especially. Books are insanely expensive over here and I’m broker than broke. The library has NO BOOKS REALLY! Seriously, I’ve looked for my entire wishlist, which consists of more than 200 books, and they had one in Dutch. ONE OUT OF 200+! *sob*
Also, bonus points for the Nostalgia Critic gif.
You probably have it worse than me library-wise!! *pats shoulder* THERE THERE. I mean, my library is good for old books but ahhhh I really want some of the newer releases!! THEY NEED TO HIRE ME SO I CAN SORT OUT THEIR PRIORITIES.
Oh Cait! Do you think my kids will still love me if I put all four of them in one room (instead of each of them in his or her own room right now) so I have more room for my shelves? This is normal mom-behaviour, right?
All of your points are so true! And I don’t know what to do or where to start or how to get through the 47 eARCs I have on my kindle… never mind all the books I’ve bought lately as well 😀
yESSS THEY WILL UNDERSTAND. Actually they won’t, but who is more important here, seriously? *casually tosses family out to live in a tent and turns entire house into a library*
Loved every one of these mentioned. You gave my first laugh of the day and I think you have been spying on me. How else would you know I’m in a blog slump and the words in my head are slerping, confused, or fighting to get out. It’s hell. Lol. Thanks for sharing.
You are in a blogging slump?! OMG I SHALL GIVE YOU CAKE AND ENCOURAGEMENT. *sprinkles crumbs in your hair*
I like cake! Thanks
Ahhhh yes, these are all so true. If I get a low ATAR in the HSC, I’m going to blame it on the fact that I had to replace my desk with more bookshelves. I’m sure that’ll impress the universities 😉
YES. They’ll definitely give you a place just on book knowledge alone. IT’LL WORK, EMILY, I KNOW IT WILL.
Why are you so FUNNY?? Teach me your ways, oh wise one!
I hear you about the lack of bookshelf space — maybe I could just move my family into the backyard shed and turn the whole house into a library! I’ll mention the idea to my mum 😉
I AM JUST BORN FABULOUS TBH. *flips hair majestically* Omg but that’s an excellent idea. I mean, I don’t have a backyard shed, but my family could live under my HOUSE and I could utilise ALL the rooms properly. *nods* You’re a genius Olivia.
Number 2! Those publishers are evil! Remember last year? 2014 is like the year of series finale, like every month there was a series finale being released!
I can relate to number 9. Like when you just finished a really amazing book that no words could describe it. Or when you just finished your favorite book, and you just want to curl into a ball and cried but you have to write something but you couldn’t find the words for it. It’s so frustrating!
yESSSS. I REMEMBER. It’s cruel, it is. :'( And this year, we’ve had like Winter and Illuminae and Their Fractured Light all being bombarded at us. *flounders*
I am actually so unco when it comes to review requests! When I soooo Do Not want to read their book instead of adulting and answering their email with a polite decline I just pretend I never saw it. I have two emails, one for the blog and my personal email, and I swear some of these authors are Super Sneaky Computer Ninjas and find my personal email to send me requests and then I flail around with unable-to-human social skills and have to email them back. Oh and when they’re asking you to review their book and it’s the complete opposite to your preferred genres! Like, ‘umm I’m sure your adult erotic romance novel set in 1800s France is brilliant for another person just not for me’.
And you are so right about publishers banding together to publish All The Books on the same day!! I’ve actually ranted to my fam about this, and my sister oh-so-smart-assily pointed out that they probably do do it on purpose, to compete for sales. It was a bit of a AH-HA moment for me!
Great post! I had a great time reading it!!
hehe, I DON’T BLAME YOU THOUGH. XD I mean sometimes it’s easier to pretend it never arrived than to say no, right?! >_< I try to always just say "I don't have time" buuuut...gah. I still feel bad. Luckily I don't get a lot of them now that I bolded and underlined my "no review request" sign. >_< I'm SURE publishers do it on purpose!! And I'm SURE they release a bunch of awesome titles at the end of the year for Christmas reasons but AGHHHHHHH HOW CAN I BUY THEM ALL AND READ THEM ASAP OMG OMG.
At least it seems like all the AMAZING-MUST-OWN-NOW releases have been released already. I can’t think of any books I’m anticipating for December. So we can go back and read all the ones that came out that we missed!!
True! Although are you into the Starbound Chronicles?!? The finale comes out Dec 1st. *dances happily*
There by Amie Kaufman right? No I haven’t read that series yet! I just read Illuminae by her though and LOVED IT! I’ve made a mental note to check out her other books. I’m sure I’ll love them as well!
yESSSS. And if you like Illuminae I’m sure you’ll like them too. 😛 (Although Illuminae is like the best of the best, hehe.)
Many of the YAs I rated 3 and 4 stars on Goodreads before book blogging got reduced to 2s and 3s one day last year. Ha ha. Yep. My blog wasn’t broken, but when blogger was dumping all that garbage code in my HTML, and it was taking me an extra couple of hours to come up with a finished post, yeah, I got really slumpy and my blog suffered for it. I was getting almost 3,000 less blog views a month, and after blogging normally for two weeks (blogger seems to have righted itself), I am still about 2,000 less. It happens so quickly, but seems to take forever to build back up. I want so badly for tons of readers to see my beautiful indie author’s books. I have come to the conclusion that I am going to have to give some blog time to more popular titles in order to build up my viewership. Yes, sometimes too many things to think about. And my gawd, yes, review remorse, I took a review down last month to rework it into something more mainstream, but now I am thinking that I shouldn’t, and I should just repost it and let it stand for itself. Sigh.
Ohh, so you go back and change ratings?! I can’t decide if I should do that or not without rereading the book. XD But like there are books I look back and seriously thinking “eh” about BUT I GAVE THEM LIKE 4 OR 5 STARS AND WHAT IS LIFE. I’M HAVING A CRISIS.
I do get that too. *nods* And actually my pages stats have dropped a lot since I stopped blogging every day and it huuuurts. :'( But I also need sanity.
3, 4, 5. and 9 are awful, but 6 IS THE WORST THING EVER. TRYING TO SORT OUT BROKEN HTML OR ANNOYING LAYOUTS TAKES SO LONG I JUST WANT TO CRAWL INTO A CAVE AND HIDE. AND PHOTO SIZES, AND GIFS NOT WORKING, AND WHEN YOU TRY A NEW DESIGN ON YOUR BLOG AND EVERYTHING MOVE AND YOUR BLOG POSTS ARE NESTLING THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE AND YOUR HEADER HAS GONE AND OMG THE HEART ATTACKS.
YES AND YES. I FEEL THE PAIN OF YOUR COMMENT HERE, HAWWA. LET US FLAIL AND CRY AND COLLAPSE TOGETHER BECAUSE OMG. INTERNET AND COMPUTER THINGS JUST LOVE TO BE DIFFICULT. BLOGGING HEARTATTACKS = I HAVE FELT THEM.
#7 and #8 so much! T_T DRIVES ME INSANE! Just now I wrote in my website name on the email bar for this comment. I ain’t thinking straight anymore.
Thinking is overrated anyway. And it’s so hard to find books that surprise us after read so much, right?!?! aHHHHH
” I’ve been asked to review a bed once. I was tempted to email back and ask for a sample bed in payment…” why did you not actually email them and say that, Cait. This is golden.
” the only thing left to do is cake.” Even when you can’t word, I love your words XD they’re the best.
I SHOULD’vE. Missed opportunity FOR SURE. XD They might’ve sent me like a queen-sized bed or something….
I’M GLAD YOU LIKE MY WORDS EVEN IF THEY’RE WEIRD. XD
I’m toooootally in the same boat when it comes to reviews! Are they too long? Too short? Too hateful? To fangirlish? AND (being a sort-of book blogger and a regular faith blogger) PEOPLE ONLY SOMETIMES COMMENT ON MY (rare, I know, I is busy) BOOK REVIEWS. AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG AAAAAHHHH.
But trust me, your book reviews are GOLD, GOLD I TELL YOU and even make me want to read the books you hate because your review is so interesting. Trust me.
I HATE THE BLOG PROBLEMS. Those freak me out SO BAD. I do write all my posts in word documents before posting them, so I don’t completely lose ’em, but I’m so afraid of my blog getting eaten by the Internet Abyss, Never To Be Seen Again. Gah.
I’m considering cutting my walls out and gluing them back on after I put some wall extenders on them. That way, they’ll be extended space to stick more bookshelves in and yeah. I might even be able to fit in a reading net if I do said idea. Thoughts?
IT’S SO HARD TO KNOW RIGHT?!?!? And some people like serious reviews and some fangirly one and fjdkaslfd woooords. Why are they so hard. Omg. I’m terrified of that Blog Eating Abyss. OR WHAT IF THE INTERNET DIES ONE DAY. WHAT’LL WE DO THEN, AMANDA? HOW WILL WE LIVE.
That is an excellent idea.I want to cut my ceiling and make it taller so I can have really taaaaall bookshelves and ladders. READING NET = YES
Oh man. This post is perfection on so many levels. I’ve run out of room for books on my bookshelves, and so I just have piles on top, and on the sides, and on random shelves that weren’t originally meant for books (but are nowww). I am terrified of losing everything! Sometimes on the glitchier days of my computer, I just curl up into a ball and hope for the best (kidding, but it’s a legit fear). Thanks for the great post, Cait!
HEHE, THANK YOU AUBREY. XD Piles and piles is like my life at the moment. *flails and wishes for more space* I kind of want to put bookshelves all over my walls. But monies. GAHHHH. SOMEDAY. 😀
HAHAHAHA… #8 is so me… When I started seriously reading, I used to think that all books were the bomb! I would read James Pattersons’ books one after another and thought they were all 5 stars. Then fast forward, I read so, so, so many books and I go back to those that I’ve read in the past and I go, “WHAT THE HELL, I RATED THIS BOOK 5 STARS? BUT IT’S NOT THAT GOOD!” You really do get pickier when you read so many good books because even your standards get higher xD
MEEEEE TOOOOOOO. I go back to my old reviews, even just a few years ago and I think, “Omg, should I recommend this still??? Because I’m 99% my thoughts have changed.” XDXD And I don’t think it’s bad to have high standards, right?! WE KNOW QUALITY.
I don’t have problems with review requests! I have never actually gotten one…
Blogging slumps are awful!! In fact, I’m going through one right now… And I WISH I had enough books to run out of shelf space, but my thirteen-year-old-book-budget doesn’t exactly agree with me wanting to get just FOUR books!! 🙁
They’re nothing to want, at least, heheeh. 😉 AGH I HoPE YOU KICK YOUR BLOGGING SLUMP SOON!! They’re truly suckish. Wah. 😛
This list is so accurate. I can never decide what I want to read first, and I usually go for whatever book has the shiniest cover at the moment. And when I was still living with my parents and my sister was off to university, I used her room to store my stuff so I could fit more shelves in my room. I’m not even ashamed about that. I’ve actually never even thought about the possibility of my blog breaking, but now I’m going to go have nightmares about it. I do, however, have all my posts saved on my hard drive, so if I need repost everything ever, it would take time, but I could totally do it. I AM PREPARED FOR THE APOCOLYPSE, CAIT. And I didn’t even realize it.
ME TOO. Shiny covers are forever my weakness and I’m not even sad. :’) I usually read my library books because at least they have a return-date and so I HAVE to read them. IT HELPS BECAUSE DECISION MAKING OMG. SO HARD.
You’re welcome for me bringing blog-breaking fears into your life.
GOOD FOR YOU BEING APOCALYPSE PREPARED THOUGH. I’m stockpiling peanut butter and unread books *nods*
You run a book blog…and you’ve been asked to review a bed? That’s slightly odd. Maybe there’s like a lifestyle blog named…Papers and Fury or something and they send the request to the wrong one!
And the whole idea of the blog breaking thing is terrifying. TERRIFYING, I TELL YOU. It’s right up there with someone telling me my writing sucks and I should never write again and also an author reading an negative review I wrote of their book. I”M SORRY! I WISH EVERY BOOK I READ WAS FIVE STARS.
IDEK RIGHT!?? I think they said something about “reading in bed is the best!” but I didn’t even answer because it was just….no. XD
Omg, I knooooow. It is legit my worst fear. I’ve put like 4 years of work and millions of words into this blog AND IF I EVER LOST IT I WOULD JUST CRY AND DIE PROBS.
That TBR one. O_O Really though, the only option is too shriek. . . or go to the library and get more books. *coughs* I have a stack of books that I own and have owned for a while. I keep looking at them and telling myself I should read them , and then I go to the library. I still haven’t read Maze Runner. . .
It DOES seem like publishers do that! I think it’s because they have a secret competition amongst themselves to see who has the most popular books coming out because they make the readers choose.
“I can sense quality by sniffing the book and licking the binding.” — #true that. I think that’s probably why your one of the few bloggers who’s book reviews I read. You’re like the Sherlock Holmes of book reviews.
Wait, you were asked to review a bed? WHAT were they thinking? I didn’t even know people reviewed beds!
I am SO down for the “go get more books” option. Somehow it makes everything better?!?
It makes everything worse but omg we still must do it.BUT THE MAZE RUNNER, ASHLEY. IT’S SO GOOD.Omg the Sherlock Holmes of book reviews?!! :’) THAT IS OFFICIALLY MY FAVOURITE COMPLIMENT OF EVER.
The bed-review request was so funny. They’re like “because books are good to read in bed!” And I’m like stahhhhp. XDXD
Sometimes when I’m out of books to read I’ll look at my TBR pile and become so discouraged at the sheer amount of choices that I just give up XD #4, 6, and 10 are the worst for me, though. I had a blogging slump that lasted *gulp* a rather embarrassing amount of time. We do not speak of it.
SAAAAME. I have legit decided not to read because the choice was too hard, too. XD It’s almost good to have books with like “due dates” (library books, I LOVE THEM) because it helps you get cracking. XD hheehe
Oh, the struggle is real. I’ve been in a blogging slump for awhile now and it is just HORRID. And the TBR pile and ALL the review requests…. I want to read allll the books, I really do! But I cannnn’t. It’s very tragic.
AGH. I FEEL YOUR PAIN. *gives you cake* Why can’t we have 9242 more hours in our day so we can read all the books?!? Srsly. WHY NOT.
YES TO ALL OF THESE! I have nightmares about posting under the wrong name tho. Like, SJ Bouquet is not my real name, obviously …idk maybe it wasn’t obvious but whatevs, so my fear is that I’LL ACCIDENTALLY SIGN OFF WITH MY REAL NAME! I DON’T WANT NOBODY KNOWING THE TRUTH it’s all a conspiracy you see…i kid xD I’m just weird about people online knowing my legit identity
I didn’t know it wasn’t your name!! 😛 BUT YESSSS. I could imagine that problem!! I had troubles when I switched my blog name. o.O It took me forever to remember my new one. >_> And I totally don’t blame you for having a pseudonym. *nods* Secreeeeets are goooood.
One of the issues that I have is being picky about books. Sometimes I will read five one star books in a row and I SWEAR THAT IT’S ME!! It doesn’t help when every single other review is 4 or 5 stars. I reviewed a book like that recently. My one star rating was the ONLY negative rating on Amazon. Everything else was four or five stars. It made me feel so bad, but what can you do?
Omg I KNOW THAT FEEL. Worse is even when no one else has really reviewed it yet…and you get on and give it a 1 or 2 star review and aHHH IT’S SO TERRIBLE. *digs hole and hides in it* XD I feel so guilty, but I’m not going to raise my rating because of that. SO WHAT CAN WE DO BUT SUFFER. *collapses*
ALL OF THESE CAIT. YOU ARE MY PEOPLE. The TBR pile, lack of shelf space, and actually not even caring of I don’t get an ARC or book that I want because I have so many books to read! And all of the amazing books this month I’m still getting through the pile!
THE SUFFERING IS DEEP FOR ALL OF US OMG.
How about when you have so many good ideas that you want to write into the wee hours of the morning without food, sleep or goign to the bathroom. 🙂
That is DEFINITELY a book blogging problem. XD
YES TO ALL OF THESE. I can relate to all of these, and I feel your pain in them Cait.
It’s amazing to be such an avid reader, but at the same time it stinks because it’s a huge struggle to find something original or new that you haven’t already read. Furthermore, some plot twists become agonizingly predictable because they’ve been used so many times before.
And it stinks when you know exactly how you feel about a book, but you’re just not able to put it into words. Who knows how many times that’s happened to me. (Spoiler: too many).
And blogging slumps are THE WORST. They’re just completely evil, horrifying things and they must be stopped.
Thanks for sharing Cait, and, as always, fabulous post! &Hearts; I share in your pain here. 😉
OMG GOOD. BECAUSE THE PAIN IS GREAT WITH THIS ONE AND DEMANDS TO BE FELT. *hi fives self for epic reference* And yessss, I’m finding it’s just harder and harder to find books that wow me. xD Although I have found a few in recent months. *cough*Illuminae*cough so that’s been wonderful. hehe.
WORDING IS REALLY HARD. *collapses*
I’m doing #5 ASAP. Literally, it had me in tears. hahaha. Same with #8. Cait, how are your posts always so accurate????
I have no idea what lachrymose leech is and I’m too scared to place the term in Google. Sounds vicious, indeed. Super fun post!
IGLOO OF BOOKS FTW I SAY. *begins building immediately*
Oh ahaha, the lachrymose Leech is a Series of Unfortunate Events reference. XD I prooooobably should’ve mentioned that. 😛
#4, #6, and #6 are my LIFE. I mean I have the rest of the problems too but especially those haha. For some reason I have the worst luck with plugins, like when I go into WordPress to update stuff I have no idea what happens but sometimes the plugins aren’t compatible and crash the entire site, I can’t even get into ANYTHING, not even to edit the files. So every time I have to log into GoDaddy where my hosting is and manually edit some stuff in the code and it’s just this huge, terrifying hassle haha.
I’m immensely lucky to have a relative who’s also a web designer. XD BUT I STILL PANIC IRRATIONALLY ALL THE TIME. heheh. Technical stuff is noooot my forte.
Ah! I had a whole comment written, and then the page randomly decided to refresh or something, and guess what… 😛
Anyway, I’m not a book blogger, but I do blog about books sometimes, so I guess it counts. 😀 Number three is my current problem, because I’m not sure where to expand to, because I have a bookshelf in front of my desk, and I like looking at all my books when my brain is having a moment. It’s somewhat inspiring, or comforting, maybe. But I shall have to find some solution, because I keep acquiring books… (I mean, when you see a book you’ve been wanting to read for $1 at an op shop, what else is there to do?! Do you go book hunting at op shops?)
And number seven happens to me sometimes, and it is so annoying. Can’t I just please read and enjoy the story without criticizing everything?! Mostly, I rate books on my personal enjoyment of them, and how they made me feel, because otherwise it’s too hard; analyzing writing style and character development, etc. But your analogy of an organic pineapple is perfect. 🙂 I’m going to use that one. Enjoyable post!
OMG :O that is the worst!! (I really appreciate you commenting twice then!! <3) I want to turn my entire WALL into a bookshelf. xD I'm juuust trying to convince the parentals. 😉 AND EXACTLY. It's not like you can leave the book there to wither. They need adoption. *huggles books*
I think I have most of those problems. 🙂 One day earlier in the year, my server upgraded and I had to be without my blog for like a day and a half and I so freaked. I didn’t know what to do with myself…lol.
Stormi
Awk, that is terrifying!! Especially when you don’t know why it’s happening, right?!
I agree with all of these things. LOL
*hi fives* WE ARE PROBLEMATIC TWINS IN THIS MATTER THEN.
I agree with everything you said but two things just are at the top of my problems: the fear of losing my blog (because God knows what reason of being deleted or losing the posts and especially the hundreds of reviews *ocean of tears*) and I don’t even want to imagine it even for a second, and the negative review. It happened so many times to me, recently, that I have read a book very hyped up and loved, and I hated it. And when I wrote the review is like nobody could believe what I said or they started ignoring me. I started developing a fear of reading hyped books because is so sad to be disappointed again and again.
And also, the idea that publishers get angry on our bad reviews is scary. I mean, I understand you want all the books to be loved and I want that too, but also I hate to lie and I would never post a positive review on my blog if I hated the book just to be sure you’re ok and you’re sending me books. Also, how should I know if I would love a book or not when I request it? Yes, maybe I have that feeling but is so easy to be wrong.
And finally, another problem of mine, and others too, is that I will never read ALL the books that I want, because there are a ton out there and also a huge ammount are coming every season and year. And also, how much money should I have to buy them all? And where to put them?
Hm, I think a solution to all this problems would be to discover a plant or a potion, a spell or something, or to hunt down a vampire :)), to make me immortal. And then I could work a lot and persuade people to give me books and their money, I would buy a big castle and 30 houses for my shelves, and also I could read for eternity. So, readers if you know a vampire please tell him to call me! :))
Hahaha WOW, being a vampire could be the PERFECT solution to ALL of these problems…let me know if you find one 😉
@Crina: Omg people started ignoring you??! BUT THAT IS SO WRONGGGG. *gives you comforting cake* I do get worried posting negative opinions, particularly on Goodreads, because — gawsh — I posted a 1-star DNF review for a popular book and I got so. much. hate. Like it was ridiculous. No one I knew personally though, so at least I could shrug it off. BUT YEAH. The struggle is real. >_>
I’ve never actually had a publisher get angry for a bad review, hehe. XD I just still live in fear of it for some reason!! Although I had a small-press tell me they couldn’t even tell if I liked a book or not. o.O I was like “Dude, did you read the part where I said I liked it but didn’t love it AGHH.” XD (I did not say that. I just said “sorry” and never requested from them again. :P)
We need clones. Clones is the way to go, I swear.
Oh my goodness, yes to all!!! Especially number 9, that gets me all the time!!
Wording is really really hard!!! WE SHOULD GET AWARDED FOR WORDING AS MUCH AS WE DO.
Have I ever mentioned that you write the most relatable things? Also, is relatable even a word? Why is it being underlined in RED. Hahaha, I have gone through ALL of these problems…except being swamped with ARCs. The day that happens, I’ll probably parade around the world showing off the fact that I GOT SENT ARCS WITHOUT ASKING I MEAN ASDFGHJKL.
RELATABLE IS TOTALLY A WORD. I AM IT. *nods sagely* I get swamped with library books a lot actually. XD which is bad because it just shows I have no self-control at the library. hehe.
“All my minions left to wander about with no overlord?” OMG Cait, are you our Gru? Because I’m suddenly imagining a live action Minions movie with bookworms.
As always, great post. Every single one of those are so true, and your gifs were just perfect.
If they aren’t working together for number 2, then it’s like that movie where they neighbors have to outdo each other with the Christmas decorations. Can you picture little Newsie boys running around the offices shouting “—- is publishing —–‘s book on —- day!” And everyone in their cubicles suddenly standing up and shouting at each other who has a book that could come out that day to top it?
I’m probably Gru. Or just some fabulously evil overlord who someday is gonna rule all. *nods*
But yeSSSS THAt’S TOTALLY HOW IT IS IN THE PUBLISHING WORLD. *nods* I think they have spies in each other’s offices so they know when to release books all at the same time and torture poor little bookworms.
So you made me curious and I counted up how many books I have owned and unread. Not counting free/review copies or library books. (And this is my library pile. And I have 42 books still to review on Netgalley. So that’s not negligible either.)
ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR.
*makes pile, stands on it, shrieks* I CAN NEVER DIE.
OKAY THAT’S A LOT OF BOOKS, NIKKI. YOU NEED HELP. MAYBE A CLONE OR NINE??
Just make me into an AI! Nothing ever goes wrong with that as Tony Stark discovered when creating Ultron!
Lachrymose – tearful or given to weeping ; inducing tears, sad
Thank you Cait – I’ve learned a new word today! (I love learning new words – another one for my collection ;-)) Who said the internet wasn’t educational?!
I hate self doubt and not being able to summon any money to buy brand new releases. But I don’t think shrieking can ever fail you. Especially not when paired with cake! Ohhhh yes I have been prone to spread piles of books on the floor and curl on top of them because AGH WHY CAN’T I DECIDE WHAT I WANT TO READ NEXT. Although my favourite on this entire list is definitely number 9. It is just so true – and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries gif is just everything. XD
Omg, really!?!?? I got the word “lachrymose leech” out of A Series of Unfortunate Events. XD THEY ATE PEOPLE AND IT WAS SCARY. hehe.
Shrieking is like the tried true and tested method of handling anything life throws at one. *nods sagely* I mean what can go wrong with a good bout of shrieking?
OH MY GOD DO NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT BLOGS BREAKING DOWN: It’s like… it would be okay if you could just fix it, but I don’t even know how when it just throws random lines of code at me and I immediately worry whether I’ve lost EVERYTHING, because obviously that’s the moment you forgot to back stuff up. Speaking of which, I haven’t backed up in ages (there is some sort of automatic thing going on, but I don’t trust it, and I’m really not sure it would even work), so I should probably do that…
And yes to almost all of these (I don’t get swamped by review requests, but I was asked to review medicine once???). I used to love most books when I was younger, and now I’m just like NAAAAAH sometimes. Which is kind of bad when I’ve actually bought the book . Ah well.
YES THAT IS ME TOO, THOUGH. I have a web-designing-relative but omg if something goes wrong I’m literally screeching for help whilst crying on the floor.
MEDICINE?!? Because…cake and books totally sound like medicine. 😂 XD And buying books but loathing them is the worst. *heavy sigh*
Okay, I think I suffer from ALL of these book blogger problems. It’s just SO hard to be a book bloggers, somedays, especially when I get in bad blogging slumps. Not having any posts scheduled always manage to make me anxious about it, The worst thing about this is; a lot of the time, the ideas are there, but I’m just staring at my computer screen and asking myself, what’s the point. I know, kind of a drama queen move there, but…I think we’re ALL drama queens inside, no? I don’t know?! haha. And YES, well I would totally consider turning ALL of my family members’ rooms into GIGANTIC LIBRAIRIES. Like, shelves, everywhere. and BOOKS. I’m not sure they’d appreciate that, though, haha 😛
It IS hard. We are totally hard done creatures who suffer greatly for an excellent cause. Not having my posts scheduled makes me anxious too. *wails a little* I hear ya for that one. And I’m sure your family won’t mind at all. Just set them up a little tent outsider or something. They can make do.
I SUFFER FROM ALL OF THEM.
#3 is a sure one for me though. I have two massive bookshelves, a desk, and another smaller bookshelf in the house. We still have books stuffed under pillows, mattresses, on top of TVs, inside wardrobes, on top of showcases, behind the sofa, under the computer desk, and on the dining table. Hell, I think there’s some inside the fridge too…
(blogging slumps are the worst)
Piles of books EVERYWHERE is basically the bookworm legacy, amirite?!?
Yes, yes, YES^^ I have suffered from all of these problems! The out of control TBR pile, running out of room for bookshelves, having piles of books all over, too many books coming out at once…GAH! Thank goodness that I am also Batman (LOL LOVE that gif) Oh and no, I’d never make another blogger feel bad for getting an arc that I didn’t (YAY for them) but it does make me very sad sometimes when I don’t get a coveted one *sniff* hehe Awesome post^^
The only solution to life’s problems it to be batman basically. *nods* WE HAVE OUR PRIORITIES, MICHELINE. And it’s okay to be sad, right?! Just so long as we don’t be rude to others about their luck. *nods sagely* AHHH TBRS ARE DESTINED TO BE UNRULY.
Not sure if I commented on this already, i don’t think so because I was having problems with my phone after reading this. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE SO RELATABLE, CAIT. EXCEPT THE BOOKSHELF THING.
AHHH, THANK YOU, WESAUN. And you have bookshelf space?! Omg. Lucky you. *covets more shelves*
I love this post so much! These are seriously the true struggles we face as bookworms, ugh. Especially the shrieking one. I just vividly imagined that in my head and it made me giggle so much!
Shrieking is the ONLY ANSWER, honestly. It’s a tried and practised and good method. *nods sagely*
i am SO out of room for all of my books. I think I have books in most rooms of the house – my room, my sister’s old room, the living room, the kitchen, etc. It’s a problem. haha
The only solution is to sell our families and build libraries in their rooms. *nods* THIS’LL WORK.
Yes! I can definitely relate to all of this. But really! I must know; what is your advice for getting through a blogging slump?? I’ve been stuck in one for awhile now, and a lot of the time I just review on my blog and it’s not nice because I need to write other things on it.
And I can especially relate to the self-doubt! I cannot tell you how many reviews I have almost discarded because I just didn’t like the book.
Ryebrynn
http://ryebrynnsrandomrambling.blogspot.com/
Awk, I wish I had solid advice for it. XD But I think either you have to a) take a break and turn off from blogging entirely for a week or two, or b) push through it and MAKE it fun for yourself again. I keep a huge backlog of posts available too so if I feel slumpy I can just schedule them and take a week off. XD Or I read a book that really excites me and I just HAVE to rave about it.xD
Oh yes. Every one of these. EVERY. ONE. Though I DO think you should have gotten a bed- how else would you properly review it? I think you could have totally connected it to books and we would have all enjoyed it (if bed-lady is reading this, send Cait a bed! Also, I wouldn’t turn one down either). The random requests are so DUMB. I have been asked to review lawn care stuff, random websites that haven’t a thing to do with books or blogging. I have been asked to BUY books and THEN review them (bwhaha no.) and my favorite is when someone emails me and asks me to “consider posting a favorable review”. Uh, so much no. I do not respond to such requests, ever. Because I don’t have time. I don’t even feel bad. Oops.
And the publisher review thing is my LIFE. Because uhhh my reviews are not exactly “professional”. At all., And when I get going on a negative one…. well, it is often not pretty. So I feel BAD. But I also plan on being honest, so then I just get paranoid that all publishers will hate me forever and ever.
And what is with the ALL the books in one week thing? They MUST get together. Maybe they work in tandem with bankruptcy lawyers or something? It’s the only logical answer. ARC disappointment is a thing, and it is FINE. Because you can’t change how you feel. You can totally change how you ACT, which is why internally, I sob (and maybe bitch about it to some friends or my mom, privately), but externally I would never, ever be rude to anyone. I mean, I am not mad that someone else got the book- just sad that I didn’t too!
The good definitely outweighs the bad, by far, but it’s nice to be able to nod along and acknowledge the bad with people who feel your pain sometimes 😉
AGH, I KNOW RIGHT!? It’d be nice to have a nice bed…preferably a king-sized or something, because A) I am trying to rule here, and b) my dog weirdly believes the ENTIRE BED IS HIS. Omg. I spend half the night shoving him off my head. >_> Ahem. But seriously why didn’t you review the lawn, Shannon? That TOTALLY relates to books. Everyone reads while they mow.
I legit had someone say “I know your blog said you didn’t take review requests…but…” And I’m just like BUT WHAT?!? BUT YOU JUST THINK YOU’RE BETTER THAN THAT?!? *facepalm*
But your reviews are THE BEST. <3 Just sayin'.
ANd yesss. It's all about actions with the ARC envy. I feel really sad that some bloggers have stopped posting about their ARCs because they feel hated on!! Like that's totally wrong! And I don't think bloggers intentionally brag too, because blogging = advertising, which is what we're supposed to do right?! So yeah. Arc envy = okay. ARC raging online = definitely not.
So much all of these! Also, when the best review you’ve written all year disappears completely from WordPress and the draft is not recoverable and all you’ve got left is the notes you drafted in Notepad and they are less than half of that perfectly-written-but-now-nonexistent review. Ouch. (Still haven’t had the heart to try to re-write the thing, and that was months ago. Like, July.)
Omggg, that happened to you!? THAT IS HORRIBLE. D: I haven’t lost any posts yet, but when I switched to WP I lost about 4 months worth of comments. *cries*
AHHHHH my soul, the problems of being a book blogger and book lover. My TBR still has books that need to be reviewed from last Christmas and I somehow didn’t notice how that it’s already almost Christmas again. Oops, I think? *goes and hides in a corner* *eats copious amounts of chocolate and other
questionablyextremely healthy foods*Awk, mine too!! I have a book I specifically remember winning in January and….oops??! LET US JUST HIDE TOGETHER, SABRINA. We can eat cake and ignore responsibilities.
My TBR is so insane, I try not to look at it. This is why I like ebooks, ha you can hardly tell! I have so much doubt when it comes to be reviews. I’m just really self-conscious of them because they’re out there for people to judge and read… :0 I have acute ARC envy every once in a while, but I just keep reminding myself that the book will come out eventually. 😀
I get so overwhelmed when I stop checking emails or responding to them. I was on vacation for two weeks and came back with over 100 emails waiting for me. I cry. Haha trying to write a review when you’re illiterate or incoherent or just not into it is SO hard. I have so many partly finished reviews that I have to completely rework because I just fumbled around for hours stringing together useless words in nonsensical, generic ways. *shivers*
Great post, dear!
Ohhh yes. Ebooks are nice for non-overwhelming-ness (that is SO totally a word) although if I read too many ebooks than the physical pile just gets TOO MUCH. XD And me too with ARC-envy. hehe. I get frustrated because Netgalley won’t approve Aussies for a lot of titles!! So YEAH. *growls at netgalley*
AWK. 100 emails is pretty intense. YOU’RE POPPPPPULAR, RACHEL.
Ahahaha! All of your posts crack me up, Cait. I WISH running out of space for more bookshelves was my problem . . . but unfortunately, I just don’t have THAT many books. And number 9. YES.
AHH ENJOY HAVING SHELF SPACE THEN. XD I remember when my bookshelf actually had empty places…*smiles fondly* Now I am literally cramming everywhere and shrieking between times. BUT BOOKS I LOVE THEM SO.
DEFINITELY BLOGGING SLUMPS. Those are THE WORST. And then then then you’ll feel like the most horrible person on the face of this Earth because you don’t feel like blogging for one week. *cries* And that email part. I mean, authors come to me asking me to review weird-ish non-fiction and I’m just there like “but i said i wanted YA……….” HAHAHAHAH. There are days when I completely ignore my email (which of course, after a while makes me feel like a villain. Sigh)
So in love with this post, HEHEH thanks for this <3
Slumps are soooo annoying. *sighs heavily* Which is why I always write an insane amount of posts when I’m in the mood so if I have a “meh-feeling-week” I can just use my backlog of posts. XD IGNORING EMAILS IS SOMETIMES THE ONLy WAY. :O I try to send back polite “nos”, but if the request is just too ludicrous, I skip. XD
OH MY GOSH YES TO ALL OF THESE!!
My TBR is so big right now, I’ve sort of…shoved it into a corner…and am currently ignoring it…and I’m still buying more books…
And URGH! I need more bookshelves! There is simply not enough room in the ones I already have.
Buying more books is the perfect way to combat an overflowing TBR *nods sagely* LIVE IN DENIAL! HUZZAH! (I’m thinking of buying floating bookshelves to put on my wall above my desk. IT’S THE ONLY WAY.)
When I was all about the books, I really struggled with review – nobody liked them, and nobody seems to take much notice of them, and that sucks, BUT, I do want to do them, I just want to do them differently, and I have plans for that, so woop! I definitely shriek about my books though, I have too many, I’ve thrown in the towel, I give up! If I want a book, I will buy it or cry, that is my plan! Great post, and gah, I’m sorry I forget to comment, I’m such a lemon.
Yayyy!! It totally can be hard to review *nods* and sometimes I get frustrated because I feel like I wrote a GREAT review and I get like 2 comments. -_- And then I write a slack review and everyone reads it. AHHHHH. XD Buying it or crying is an excellent way to live. *nods* I do that too. Shrieking copiously <-- My life.
Hahaha! I needed this today. The words have left me, and I don’t know how to write and the feelings. 🙂
I HOPE YOU GET YOUR WORDS BACK SOON!! *gives you chocolate while you wait for words to return* xDXD
HEY YOU, YEAH YOU – GIRL WHO ALWAYS WRITES INCREDIBLY RELATABLE (AND HILARIOUS) POSTS. I just had to sit there a second before I could type and laugh at this post – it is beyond perfect! Number’s 1, 2, 3, 4… YES. I always worry what people will think about my reviews, like do *I* even know what I’m talking about in them? The ones I am most self conscious about are reviews of books I really didn’t like – how harsh is too harsh? And GOSH please don’t let me offend anyone!! xD
Amazing post!
AAJFDLKSAD REALLY?!?!?! ZOMG. My day = MADE. Thank you Anissa. :’) I…I just need flail a moment. *flails wildly in happiness* AHEM. So yes, being nervous about reviews? You and I are twins in this. *nods* I always feel immensely self-conscious when I’m reviewing for a publisher because, gah, what if they hate my reviews and never send me another book?!? LIFE IS SO HARD.
#1. The struggle is real. *Avoids glancing at yet-to-be-read October releases.* Your similes are bringing me so much delight in this one!
We basically just need to pause time and catch up, right?! AWK.
Yes, yes, yes… & yes! Honestly yes to all of these things! I hate having to write reviews straight for the publishers or authors… it is so terrifying! What if they didn’t like it. Or, worse still, what if I didn’t like it… too stressful! And yes, book are too expensive. It’s not fair!
it ISSSS SO TERRIFYING. I’m always scared I’ll say something stupid and they’ll never send me a book again. xD Particularly if I can’t articulate whey I didn’t like a book?! Because saying “Meh” in a review for a publisher is just…terrifying. >_> XD
I know, right? And when you have to say that the book was poorly edited… it seems like you’re insulting them! And I don’t mean it like that. And I don’t want to lose the any of the privileges either… *wails* It’s too much for me to deal with!
The fear of blog lose is so real! Or of having weird blog glitches that I can’t figure out how to fix because I’m still learning about this whole coding thing. I finally got a plugin so I could back up all my stuff on my Google Drive. Yes, this did immediately cause me to be terrified of losing everything on my Google Drive, but that seems unlikely… I think…
The reviewing self-doubt is also real. No matter what you write it seems like everyone has a moment where they think “OMG I LITERALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’M DOING THIS IS TERRIBLE” and so on. Butttt eventually you get over it and that’s what matters
So much yes.
I’ve actually stopped taking many review requests for now. Maybe I’ll grab like one a month. It just got way too crazy earlier this year and I found myself with no time to read any of the books I wanted to read off my own TBR! I also don’t post reviews for review requested books I can’t give at least a 3/5. That meant that some of the books I read ended up not getting a blog-review at all. Too much ugh! Thankfully I have a beautiful co-blogger who loves the review requests, so it’s not a total loss.
Blogging slumps are the worst!
YES YES YES AND MORE YES! It’s like you read my mind and put it into gifs!
~Sara
*screeches aggressively because Lemony Snicket reference aw yas*
THE STRUGGLES. THE STRUGGLES ARE REAL.
YAY YOU GOT MY SNICKET REFERENCE. HUZZAH! 😀
I personally identify with practically everything on this list.
My least favourite is the organic pineapple one. I HATE being in a reading slump. I have been in one for the longest time. Ever since I finished QUEEN OF SHADOWS, actually. So maybe it’s a book hangover? But surely they don’t last THIRTY DARN BOOKS. *crying* Although, I MIGHT be coming out of my hangover/slump/whatever because I read a four star read the other day and I am actually really LIKING the book I am reading at the moment. BLESS.
Although, even with all these problems, I love being a book blogger 😀
The review request one is a definite problem, ESPECIALLY those requests to review weird things or post about random things. Um, really? Have you actually seen my blog?
Blogging can be so tiring sometimes! I have basically zero room for books now but… I keep buying them anyway because that’s the book blogger way. I remember October 6th this year. Like 10000000000000000000000000 books released that day and I was like, WHAT DO I GET? WHAT DO I READ? So hard.
And then they say that what we do is easy! NOTHING ABOUT THIS IS EASY! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT DIFFICULTIES ARE UNTIL YOU’VE HAD 3 TIME-SENSITIVE ARCS TO REVIEW IN THE MIDST OF A HORRENDOUS BLOGGING SLUMP! ‘Tis hideous and profoundly unenjoyable. There are reviews I’d rather… never think about again.
For what it’s worth, you amazing picky organic pineapple (best analogy of ever), you’ve never been anything else than AMAZEBALLS since I’ve started stalking your blog. I use “Cait says” now among fellow readers. It’s like Simon says, except it’s EPIC. With a faint dose of dragon.
EXACTLY. We bookworms go through a lot for the sake of our books. HUZZAH FOR US. *awards us with chocolate and…more books*
Omg. *blushes* THIS HAS BASICALLY MADE MY DAY. :’) THANK YOU, LEXIE. Cait says with a faint dose of dragon. AFJDLASKFDFAD YOU ARE MY FAVOURITE.
I can relate to all of these, but especially numbers 4, 7, and 9! I’ve reread books that I rated five stars the first time, and I’m like, “What was I thinking? This is clearly a two-star book.” And then I’m embarrassed that people saw my original five-star rating for a two-star book.
BUAHAHAHA! You always do post like this where it feels like you’re inside my head and know just what I am thinking.
#1 Gah. My TBR pile isn’t even a pile any more. It is more like a TBR fort. Or a TBR castle. That’s actually pretty cool, but highly inconvenient and daunting. Scary to think about and even scarier to look at.
#2 I always suck at choosing between all the shiny books. I’m like a magpie in that sense, I need ALL the shiny things. So then I end up buying them all. But then not having the time to actually read them all. Ah, first world, bookworm problems.
#3 I have a whole room that is just filled with bookshelves. I have 6 now, a 7th one just has DVDs on it so doesn’t count. It should be considered a problem. I view it more as a dream come true. I really do have my own library. And thankfully, whilst my fiance doesn’t quite understand the obsession, he lets me just get on with my book collecting/obsessing and only sometimes comments on how maybe I have ‘too many books’. AS IF SUCH A THING COULD EVER BE TRUE!!!
#4 Self doubt on reviews is real and scary and I have it so badly right now. Probably why I went on a massive blog break for months. And barely blogged for the whole of 2015. But I am getting over it now. I just need to get on and do me, and not try and be as awesome as fellow bloggers like yourself 😉 My thing is just gushing or ranting…. mixed with gifs galore and random CAPS!
#5 Coveted ARCs. I have to admit that I am very blessed in this. I seem to be able to get a lot of these from Edelweiss – they never seem to say no, which is good. Or Netgalley. But sometimes you do miss out on some awesome ones. I then realise that my TBR is massive anyway and I can get stuck in to those. Although… have to admit. I got my much coveted ARC of Half Lost and died of happiness. I HAS THE PRECIOUS!
#6 I HATE WHEN MY BLOG BREAKS! I never know how to fix it and just freak the hell out.
#7 Yup. Sometimes I read far too much in one genre at a time that they all kind of seem to mush together and sound the same. I get a bit bored and it feels like none can surprise me or please me. Usually a nice change in genre can help that. Or leaving books for a while why I binge some show on Netflix.
#8 I drown in them and then usually ignore most of them. As 90% of them are just spam style ones that aren’t personal to me or my blog or my review policy at all. WHICH ANNOYS THE CRAP OUT OF ME!
#9 I have this problem DAILY
#10 Blogging slumps…. what’s that?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA